This application in general relates to a cleaver for forming a notch or notch in an optical fiber such that the optical fiber may be separated using that notch as a score line.
Optical fibers find increasing use in the communication of various types of information, signals, or other energy transmission uses. It is necessary to form a well-defined square end on the fiber for connection to various optical fiber connectors. Essentially, the end face should be perpendicular to the axis of the fiber. It has been found that to form an acceptable end, it is preferable to cleave the optical fiber; that is, form a very, small notch, and then separate the optical fiber at that notch rather than cutting the optical fiber. When the fiber is cut, the end face is seldom perpendicular to the axis. Various types of optical fiber cleavers are known in the prior art to accomplish this goal.
With some prior art cleavers some degree of "feel" is necessary in order to properly utilize the cleaver. That is, with prior art cleavers an operator can apply too much or too little force to the optical fiber, which would in turn modify the notch formed in the optical fiber. It would be desirable to achieve a consistent well defined notch in the optical fiber such that there is repeatability in the formation of the end faces on the optical fiber. The known optical fiber cleavers have not provided such repeatability, and have instead utilized a generally fixed blade which is brought into contact with the fiber to cleave the fiber. With such systems, the feel of the operator to modify the amount of force applied to the tool is an important variable which changes the precision of the formed end face. Moreover, the known optical fiber cleavers are relatively complicated to use.